Insulator pattern for thin film head sliders

ABSTRACT

A thin film magnetic head includes a slider having a first air bearing surface and a second surface made of a layer of an insulating material. The second surface has a first aperture formed in the insulating layer to expose a portion of the slider below the second surface layer. A reading/writing transducer is provided in the slider adjacent to the air bearing surface and has a first connecting link extending within the slider so that an end of the first link is exposed within the first aperture of the second surface layer. A first bond pad extends on the second surface of the slider and within the first aperture of the second surface layer. The first bond pad is electrically connected to the exposed end of the first link of the read/write transducer within the first aperture of the second surface layer.

This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 08/231,399, filed Apr.22, 1994, now abandoned. Priority of the prior application is claimedpursuant to 35 USC § 120.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a flying type thin film magnetic headof a disc drive. In particular, the present invention relates to a topsurface insulating layer of a thin film magnetic head slider.

Conventional thin film magnetic heads typically have a write/readtransducer provided on a trailing end surface of the magnetic headslider. Each write/read transducer includes several bond pads located ona trailing end surface of the slider. The bond pads are provided forelectrically connecting the read/write transducer with connecting wiresextending from the control circuitry of the disc drive. However,providing the bond pads on the trailing end surface of the sliderbecomes a limiting factor on miniaturization of the magnetic head sliderbecause connecting wires from the control circuitry need to be securedto the bond pads on the trailing end surface of the slider. This is adifficult, time consuming, and expensive process because of the smallsurface area available on the trailing end surface of the slider formaking the electrical connections between the connecting wires and thebond pads. Moreover, in addition to this difficult electricalconnection, a separate mechanical connection is required to connect theslider with the support arm carrying the slider.

FIG. 1 of the Ainslie et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,914 illustrates atypical prior art configuration. However, the Ainslie et al. patent alsodiscloses a thin film magnetic head head/slider in which the top surfaceof the slider includes a pair of contact pads 39 (see FIG. 3 of Ainsliepatent) adapted for mechanically connecting the support arm with theslider and for electrically connecting the control circuitry of the discdrive with the connecting links from the read/write transducer. Theread/write transducer is adjacent the trailing end surface of the sliderand adjacent the air bearing surface of the slider. The solder contactpads 39 are connected to the read/write transducer and replace bond padswhich were previously provided on the trailing end surface of thehead/slider for electrical connection with connecting wires from thecontrol circuitry.

Although placing solder contact pads 39 on a top surface of the sliderprovides a simpler mechanical and electrical connection, this designpresents problems associated with signal quality resulting fromineffective electrical isolation between conductive components. Inparticular, the substrate of a slider is a conductive material andcomprises a majority of the body of a slider. The contact pads 39 arealso conductive and therefore must be electrically isolated from theconductive substrate of the slider. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10 ofthe Ainslie patent, an insulating layer 17 was introduced on top ofsubstrate 1 and over a substantial length of the slider except for thetrailing end portion of the slider adjacent the connecting posts 11(connected to the read/write transducer). The insulating layer 17 has aterminal edge adjacent and positioned over the posts 11. This edge ofthe insulating layer in most prior art sliders typically extends acrossa full width of the slider.

Despite the introduction of the insulating layer 17, poor electricalisolation can occur between the contact pads and the conductivesubstrate 1 in a slider assembly like that of the Ainsle patent. Inaddition, poor electrical isolation can occur between separate contactpads (extending on the top surface of the slider over the insulatinglayer). These problems of electrical isolation are primarily caused bythe configuration of the insulating layer formed on the top surface ofthe slider.

A prior art slider is provided in FIGS. 1 and 2 of this application toillustrate the problems caused by the current prior art configuration ofthe top surface insulating layer of the Ainslie-type slider. Inparticular, a prior art slider 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes aconductive substrate 12 and a trailing end insulator 14 made of analumina insulating material. An insulator 16 (analogous to layer 17 inthe Ainslie patent) is provided on a top surface 15 of the substrate 12and over the trailing end insulator 14 to form a top surface 19 of theslider 10. The insulator 16 includes a terminal edge 17 extending acrossthe width of the slider and a side edge 18 extending along the length ofthe slider. A first bond pad 20 (analogous to the combination of layer21 and 25 forming part of contact pads 39 as seen in FIG. 15 of theAinslie patent) extends across a surface of the insulator 16 and acrossa top surface of the trailing end insulator 14. The first bond pad 20 iselectrically connected to a first connecting link 22a (FIG. 2)(analogous to posts 11 in FIG. 15 of the Ainslie patent) extending upthrough the trailing end insulator 14, with the first link 22a having anend 22b exposed on the top surface of the trailing end insulator 14. Asecond bond pad 24 extends along a surface of the insulator 16 and on atop surface of the trailing end insulator 14. The second bond pad 24 iselectrically connected to a second connecting link 26a which extends upthrough, and has an end 26b exposed on the top surface of, trailing endinsulator 14.

The insulator 16 electrically isolates the conductive first bond pad 20and the conductive second bond pad from the conductive substrate 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the slider 10 includes a read/write inductive-typetransducer 32 disposed below an end surface 31 of the slider 10 withintrailing end insulator 14 adjacent an air bearing surface 33 of theslider. The first link 22a and second link 26a are electricallyconnected to the transducer 32.

Optimum operation of the read/write transducer 32 requires a high degreeof electrical isolation between: conductive first bond pad 20 and theconductive substrate 12; conductive second bond pad 24 and theconductive substrate 12; and conductive first bond pad 20 and conductivesecond bond pad 24. However, this desired electrical isolation cannotalways be achieved because a conductive metallic seed layer residue 28sometimes remains after fabrication of first bond pad 20 and second bondpad 24, and can partially cover an edge surface 30 of the terminal edge17 and the side edge 18 of the insulator 16. This conductive seed layerresidue can reduce the impedance between respective bond pads 20 and 24hampering the desired electrical isolation therebetween.

The conductive metallic seed layer (not shown) is used as anintermediate step to facilitate electroplating the bond pads 20 and 24.In the intermediate step, the seed layer is deposited over the entiretop surface of the slider including the insulator 16, first link end 22band second link end 26b, and the top surface of the trailing endinsulator 14. After fabrication of the bond pads 20, 24, 34 and 36 (byelectroplating conductive bonding material on the seed layer), anyexposed seed layer is removed to yield the configuration shown in FIGS.1 and 2. However, the current processes such as wet etching, sputteretching, and ion milling are not capable of reliably removing all of theexposed seed layer, and residual traces 28 of the seed layer thusremains on the edges 18 and 30 of the insulator 16. The seed layerresidue 28 degrades the desired electrical isolation between theelectrically active components, i.e., the bond pads and the substrate.In particular, the seed layer residue 28 can provide an unwantedelectrical connection between bond pads 20 and 24, between first bondpad 20 and substrate 12, or between second bond pad 24 and substrate 12.

However, the seed layer residue alone does not cause the electricalisolation difficulties. Rather, the terminal edge 17 of the insulatorlayer 16 primarily creates the electrical isolation problems because theedge surface 30 of the terminal edge 17 is common to several separateconductive components. As seen in FIG. 1, the edge surface 30 is commonto the conductive substrate 12, the conductive bond pads 20 and 24 aswell as any other conductive bond pads such as bond pads 34 and 36. Thiscommonality of edge surface 30 with all of the respective conductivecomponents permits the conductive seed layer residue 28 on the edgesurface 30 of edges 17 and 18 to degrade the desired high impedancebetween the respective conductive components, namely, the substrate 12and bond pads 20, 24, 34 and 36.

Placing bond pads of a read/write transducer on a top surface of aslider provides considerable advantages. However, it is desirable tomodify the currently known assembly of the top surface of thehead/slider, particularly the top surface insulating pattern, toovercome the problems of ineffective electrical isolation betweenconductive bond pads such as bond pads 20 and 24, and between each ofthe respective conductive bond pads and the conductive substrate 12.These isolation problems are caused by the edge surface 30 of theinsulator 16 being common to each respective electrically activecomponents (e.g., substrate 12, bond pads 20 and 24) such that theconductive seed layer residue 28 on the edge surface 30 of edges 17 and18 of insulator 16 degrades the desired high impedance between therespective electrically active components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A magnetic head assembly of the present invention includes a top surfaceinsulating layer (over a conductive substrate) wherein the insulatinglayer has a plurality of discrete closed loop edge surfaces, each closedloop edge surface being isolated from any other closed loop edge surfaceof the insulator. This prevents an edge surface of the insulating layerin contact with a first conductive component of the slider from beingcommon with an edge surface of the insulating layer in contact with asecond conductive component of the slider. This top surface insulatinglayer pattern of the present invention maintains electrical isolationbetween the respective bond pads of a write/read transducer and betweenthe respective bond pads and a substrate of the slider despite any seedlayer residue on the edge surfaces of the top surface insulating layer.

In one embodiment, a thin film magnetic head of the present inventioncomprises a slider having a first air bearing surface and a secondsurface made of a layer of an insulating material. The second surfacehas a first aperture formed in the insulating layer to expose a portionof the slider below the second surface layer. A read/write transducer isprovided in the slider adjacent to the air bearing surface and has afirst connecting link extending within the slider so that an end of thefirst link is exposed within the first aperture of the second surfacelayer. A first bond pad extends on the second surface of the slider andwithin the first aperture of the second surface layer. The first bondpad is electrically connected to the exposed end of the first link ofthe read/write transducer within the first aperture of the secondsurface layer.

The first aperture defines a closed loop edge surface of the insulatinglayer surrounding the connection between the first link and the firstbond pad. This closed loop edge surface of the first aperture iselectrically isolated from, and is not common with, any other edgesurface of the insulating layer. The edge surface of the insulatinglayer is configured such that any edge surface of the insulating layerthat is in contact with a first electrically active component, e.g., thefirst bond pad, is isolated from, i.e., not in common with, any edgesurface of the insulating layer in contact with a separate electricallyactive component, e.g., the substrate or a second bond pad. The firstaperture is of sufficient size only to permit the electrical connectionbetween the first bond pad and the end of the first link.

The second surface layer can include a second aperture and theread/write transducer can include a second connecting link extendingwithin the slider to have an end of the second link exposed within thesecond aperture of the second surface layer. A second bond pad extendson the second surface and has a portion extending within the secondaperture. The second bond pad is electrically connected with the end ofthe second link of the read/write transducer within the aperture of thesecond surface layer. A closed loop edge surface defining a periphery ofthe second aperture is electrically isolated from, i.e., not in commonwith, the closed loop edge surface of the first aperture. Additionalbond pads and connecting links may be similar connected such that anyedge surface of the insulating layer in contact with an electricallyactive or conductive component, e.g., first bond pad, is isolated, i.e.,not in common with, an edge surface of the insulating layer in contactwith a separate electrically active component.

The present invention may be incorporated for both magnetoresistive-type transducers as well as inductive-type transducers. Theconfiguration of the insulating layer of the slider of the presentinvention precludes an edge surface of the insulating layer being incommon with two or more electrically active or conductive components.This insulating layer pattern provides the desired electrical isolationbetween the respective bond pads, and between each of the respectivebond pads and the substrate of the slider despite any seed layer residueleft over from the fabrication of the bond pads on the second surface ofthe slider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art thin film magnetic headslider including top bond pads for an inductive-type transducer.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the prior art thin film magnetic head slider ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the thin film magnetic head of thepresent invention for an inductive-type transducer.

FIG. 3B is a modified perspective view of the thin film magnetic head ofFIG. 3A showing top bond pads removed from a top surface.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the thin film magnetic head of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a thin film magnetic head slider of thepresent invention for a magneto resistive-type transducer.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the thin film magnetic head slider shown inFIG. 5.

While the above-identified figures set forth the preferred embodiments,other embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated asnoted in the discussion. In all cases, this disclosure presentsillustrated embodiments of the present invention by way ofrepresentation and not limitation. Numerous other modifications andembodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which fall withinthe scope and spirit of the principles of this invention. The figureshave not been drawn to scale as it has been necessary to enlarge certainportions for clarity. In addition, the use of such relational terms suchas left/right, upper/lower, top/bottom or horizontal/vertical etc. areused herein for reference purposes only and are not intended to belimiting features of the invention disclosed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The thin film magnetic head slider of the present invention isillustrated in FIG. 3A generally at 40. The slider 40 includes asubstrate 42 and a trailing end insulator 44. An insulating layer 46 isprovided over both a top surface 49 of the substrate 42 and a topsurface of the trailing end insulator 44, thereby forming a top surface48 of the slider 40. The insulating layer 46 includes a first aperture50 formed therein and a second aperture 52 formed therein to exposeselected portions of a top surface 54 of the trailing end insulator 44.A first bond pad 56 extends along the top surface of the insulatinglayer 46 and through first aperture 50 onto the surface 54 of theinsulator 44. The bond pad 56 is electrically connected to a firstconnecting link 58a. As seen in FIG. 4, first link 58a extends upthrough the insulator 44 and an end 58b of first link 58a is exposed onthe surface 54 of the insulator 44 for connection with the bond pad 56.A second bond pad 60 extends along the top surface of the insulatinglayer 46 and through second aperture 52 onto the surface 54 of theinsulator 44 and is electrically connected with a second connecting link62. A second link 62a extends up through the insulator 44 and an end 62bof second link 62a is exposed on a surface 54 of the insulator 44 forelectrical connection with the bond pad 60.

The insulating layer 46 insulates the conductive substrate 42 from theconductive bond pads 56 and 60. The first bond pad 56 extends withinfirst aperture 50 of the insulator 46 for electrical connection with thelink 58a and the second bond pad 60 extends within the second aperture52 of insulator 46 for electrical connection with the link 62a.

As shown in FIG. 4, the slider 40 includes at least one read/writeinductive-type transducer 64 disposed below an end surface 66 of theslider 40 within the trailing end insulator 44 adjacent an air bearingsurface 68 of the slider. The first link 58a and second link 62a areelectrically connected to the transducer 64.

As seen in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B (showing top bond pads 56 and 60 removedfor illustrative purposes), the first aperture 50 and the secondaperture 52 of insulator layer 46 includes a closed loop edge surface 70and a closed loop edge surface 72, respectively. The edge surface 70 ofthe aperture 50 is electrically isolated from, i.e., not in common with,the edge surface 72 of the aperture. Typically, a seed layer residue 74is created during the fabrication of the bond pads 56 and 60 on theslider 40 and rests on the edge surface 70 and edge surface 72. The seedlayer residue 74 is a conductive metal that remains on the edge surfaces70 and 72 despite removal of the seed layer by conventional wet etching,sputter etching, or ion milling techniques from the top surface 48 ofinsulator 46.

However, the pattern of the insulating layer 46 of the present inventionelectrically isolates an edge surface 70 of the insulating layer 46 (incontact with the conductive first bond pad 56) from the edge surface 72of the insulating layer 46 (in contact with the conductive second bondpad 60). With this arrangement, an edge surface of the insulator layer46 has been "broken up" so that no single edge surface of the insulatorlayer can be common to two or more electrically active or conductivecomponents. Accordingly, any residue 74 formed along an edge surface ofthe insulating layer 46 does not contaminate or degrade the desiredelectrical isolation between the first bond pad 56 and second bond pad60. Rather, the configuration of the insulating layer 46 insureselectrical isolation between the substrate 42 and the first bond pad 56,and between the second bond pad 60 and the substrate 42, because a sideedge surface 73 of insulator 46 is not common with the edge surfaces 70and 72.

In addition, although not required, the slider 40 can include anotherpair of apertures 78 and 80 in insulating layer 46 to receive arespective pair of bond pads 82 and 84 adapted for electrical connectionto a second read/write transducer 86 via respective connecting links 88and 90. The apertures 78 and 80, like apertures 50 and 52, define closedloop edge surfaces 83 and 85, respectively, such that the edge surface83 of insulator 46 (in contact with bond pad 82) is not in common withthe edge surface 85 of insulator 46 (in contact with bond pad 84).Moreover, although the apertures 50 and 52 are shown adjacent thetrailing end surface 66 of slider 40, the apertures for receiving bondpads 56 and 60 can be located elsewhere on the insulating layer 46 onthe top surface 48 of the slider 40 over the insulator 44. If need be,an insulating layer with aperture patterns analogous to those shown inFIGS. 3A and 4 can be formed on a side surface 47 of the slider 40 overthe insulator 44 provided that any edge surface of an insulator incontact with an electrically conductive component is isolated from anedge surface of an insulator in contact with a separate electricallyconductive component.

In addition to configuring the insulator 46 to have the desired isolatededge surfaces, the insulator 46 can be shaped so that the edge surfacesof the insulator 46 are sloped toward the conductive components. Theslope of the edge surface further facilitates removal of the seed layerfrom the top insulator layer edge surfaces during fabrication of theslider components.

The pattern of insulator 46 including the closed loop edge surfaces 70and 72 defining the apertures 50 and 52, respectively, (and, if desired,further apertures 78 and 80) is constructed by conventional techniquesknown to those skilled in the art in manufacturing thin film heads. Tomanufacture the thin film head slider 40 of the present invention, theslider 40 is first cut from a wafer made by conventional techniques. Thewafer includes two basic layers: a substrate 42 and an aluminum oxidebasecoat and overcoat forming a trailing end insulator 44 deposited onthe substrate 42. After the wafer is cut into individual sliders such asa slider 40 (comprising the substrate 42 and insulator 44), aninsulating material, such as aluminum oxide, is sputter deposited overthe substrate 42 and insulator 44 to form the layer of insulatingmaterial 46 and top surface 48 of the slider 40. Conveniently, a naturalcleavage in the insulating material is generated during deposition ofthe insulator layer 46 such that layer 46 terminates cleanly and flushwith the insulator 44 at edge 76.

Next, a photo resist layer (not shown) is deposited over the insulatinglayer 46 and subsequently exposed and developed to leave an aperturepattern in the photo resist layer in a region approximatelycorresponding to the later formed apertures (e.g., apertures 50 and 52).The insulating layer 46 is then sputter etched, wet etched, or ionmilled to remove the insulating material 46 to form the desiredapertures (e.g., apertures 50 and 52) in the selected region of theexposed photo resist layer. In particular, the insulating layer 46 isremoved to uncover that portion of the top surface 54 of insulator 44over the end 58b and end 62b of the respective first and second links58a and 62a. The photo resist layer is then removed from the insulatinglayer 46 using conventionally known techniques.

This pattern results in the creation of several edge surfaces of theinsulator layer 46 (defined by the apertures) which are not common witheach other, as shown in FIG. 3B.

The next major step in fabricating the slider 40 includes sputterdepositing a conductive metallic seed layer over the entire top surfaceof the slider including the top surfaces of the insulator 46, first linkend 58b, second link end 62b and top surface 54 of insulator 44. Themetallic seed layer is preferably a chromium permalloy or other suitableseed layer materials including: chromium and copper; chromium, copper,and gold; copper and molybdenum; copper and tungsten; and other suitablecombinations. After depositing the seed layer, a photo resist layer isdeposited over the seed layer. The photo resist layer is thensubsequently exposed and developed to uncover the seed layer in theregions of the to-be-formed bond pads 56 and 60.

Next, a layer of copper, gold, or nickel is plated onto the uncoveredportions of the seed layer to form conductive bond pads 56 and 60. Afterformation of the bond pads 56 and 60, the photo resist layer is removedfrom the surfaces of the slider 40 and then the seed layer is removedusing wet etching techniques or, if desired, sputter etching, ionmilling, or plasma etching techniques. After this last step, fabricationof the top surface 48 of the slider 40 is complete yielding the assemblyshown in FIG. 3A.

However, as previously noted, this technique can leave a conductive seedlayer residue 74 on the edge surfaces 70 and 72 of the respective firstand second apertures 50 and 52. Nonetheless, as previously explained,the pattern of the insulating layer 46 of the present invention negatesproblems previously associated with seed layer residue in the prior artassembly. The insulating layer 46 is configured, in the form ofapertures, to prevent an edge surface of the insulator 46 (in contactwith a conductive component) from being common with another edge surfaceof the insulator 46 (in contact with a second conductive component). Inparticular, in the prior art assembly (see FIG. 1 and 2), the edgesurface 30 of the insulator 16 was common to top bond pads 20 and 24 andthe substrate 12. Because this edge surface 30 was common to each of therespective conductive components, the conductive seed layer residue 28on the edge surface 30 could degrade the desired electrical isolationbetween the electrically conductive components.

The preferred material for the substrate 42 is a combination of analumina material, i.e., aluminum oxide, and a titanium carbide. Thealumina trailing end insulator 44 is preferably an aluminum oxidesputter deposited on the substrate 42. The connecting links 58a and 62aare preferably made from a gold or copper or permalloy material.

A slider of the present invention can be made for either magnetoresistive or inductive-type read/write transducers. FIGS. 3A and 4illustrate a slider 40 of the present invention incorporating aninductive-type mad/write transducer 64. As shown in these figures, onlytwo bond pads (56 and 60) are required for a single inductive-typetransducer. Accordingly, only two apertures (50 and 52) are required tobe formed within the insulating layer 46 to accommodate bond pads (56and 60).

However, four bond pads are required for a single magneto resistiveread/write transducer. Accordingly, four apertures (i. e.,configurations of closed loop edge surfaces of the insulator) would berequired in the insulating layer 46 of top surface of the slider toaccommodate the four bond pads for connection to the connecting links ofthe magneto resistive transducer and to maintain the desired electricalisolation between each of the respective bond pads. An example of thisconfiguration is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As shown in FIG. 5 and 6, a slider 100 of the present invention includesa substrate 102 and a trailing end insulator 104. An insulating layer106 forms a top surface 107 of the slider 100. The slider 100 is similarto the slider 40 in manufacture and design except that the slider 100includes two pairs of four apertures 108 and 110, respectively, formedin the insulating layer 106 to receive two sets of four bond pads, 112and 114, respectively. The bond pads 112 are electrically connectedindividually to a respective matching set of connecting links 116extending within the trailing end insulator 104 adjacent a trailing endsurface 118 of the slider 100. The connecting links 116 extend from andare electrically connected to a magnetoresistive read/write transducer120 disposed within the slider 100 adjacent an air bearing surface 122of the slider 100. The other set of bond pads 114 are electricallyconnected individually to a respective matching set of connecting links124 extending within the trailing end insulator 104 of the slideradjacent the trailing end surface 118 of the slider 100. The connectinglinks 124 extend from and are electrically connected to amagnetoresistive read/write transducer 126 disposed within the slider100 adjacent the air bearing surface 122 of the slider 100. The slider100 enjoys the same advantages (i.e., stable electrical connection andisolation) as the slider 40 previously described.

Of course, any number of apertures (or other patterns) can be formed inthe top surface insulating layer of the slider of the present inventionprovided that any edge surface of the insulating layer in contact with afirst conductive component (e.g., bond pad or substrate) is isolatedfrom, i.e., not common with, any other edge surface of the top surfaceinsulating layer in contact with a second conductive component.

A thin film magnetic head of the present invention has severaladvantages. First, the top bond pad magnetic head assembly of thepresent invention increases the available surface area for electricallyconnecting the magnetic head to the control circuitry of the disc driveand for mechanically connecting the magnetic head to the support arm andgimbal of the disc drive. Second, electrical isolation is insuredbetween the respective conductive components, e.g., bond pads, and thesubstrate of the slider by providing a top surface insulating layerpattern with a plurality of discrete edge surfaces (associated with theconductive components) that are not common to each other, i.e., areisolated from each other.

Although the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize thatchanges may be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A thin film magnetic head comprising:a sliderhaving a conductive substrate and a layer of an insulating material ontop of the conductive substrate, wherein the insulating layer isconfigured such that the insulating layer has a plurality of discreteclosed loop edge surfaces wherein each closed loop edge surface isisolated from any other closed loop edge surface of the insulating layerincluding at least a first closed loop edge surface and a second closedloop edge surface isolated from the first closed loop edge surface, thefirst and second closed loop edge surfaces defining a first aperture andsecond aperture, respectively; a transducer disposed within the sliderand having a first and second connecting link extending within theslider with an end of the first connecting link being exposed within thefirst aperture and an end of the second connecting link being exposedwithin the second aperture; a first conductive bond pad extending acrossthe top of the insulating layer and down into the first aperture definedby the first closed loop edge surface, and extending upwardly out of thefirst aperture and onto the top of the insulating layer so that thefirst bond pad extends across the top of the insulating layer onopposite sides of the first aperture, the first bond pad being incontact with the first closed loop edge surface and electricallyconnected to the end of the first connecting link; and a secondconductive bond pad extending across the top of the insulating layer anddown into the second aperture defined by the second closed loop edgesurface, and extending upwardly out of the second aperture and onto thetop of the insulating layer so that the second bond pad extends acrossthe top of the insulating layer on opposite sides of the secondaperture, the second bond pad being in contact with the second closedloop edge surface and electrically connected to the end of the secondconnecting link.
 2. The magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the insulatinglayer is a top surface of the slider on a side of the slider opposite anair bearing surface of the slider.
 3. The magnetic head of claim 1wherein the apertures of the insulating layer are arranged in a lineararray adjacent a trailing end surface of the slider.
 4. The magnetichead of claim 1 wherein the transducer is an inductive type read/writetransducer.
 5. The magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the transducer is amagnetoresistive type read/write transducer.
 6. The thin film magnetichead of claim 1 wherein the first and second closed loop edge surfacefurther include:a first conductive seed layer residue extending on thefirst closed loop edge surface at least adjacent the point of contactbetween the first conductive bond pad and the first closed loop edgesurface and a second conductive seed layer residue extending on thesecond closed loop edge surface at least adjacent the point of contactbetween the second conductive bond pad and the second closed loop edgesurface.
 7. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the firstaperture and the second aperture are aligned adjacent to each otheralong a line that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axisof the slider body.
 8. The thin film magnetic head of claim 7 wherein alongitudinal axis of the first and second bond pads are substantiallyparallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the slider body.9. The head of claim 1 wherein the first and second bond pads areconfigured and arranged so that a majority of the length of therespective first and second bond pads is disposed on the top of theinsulating layer on the first side of the respective first and secondapertures, and a minority of the length of the respective first andsecond bond pads is disposed on top of the insulating layer on thesecond side of the respective first and second apertures, wherein thesecond side of the respective first and second apertures is closer to anend of the slider head than the first side of the respective first andsecond apertures.
 10. A thin film magnetic head comprising:a sliderincluding a slider body portion having a conductive substrate portionand a nonconductive end portion, the slider body having an air bearingsurface and a top surface on a side of the slider opposite the airbearing surface, the top surface being made of a layer of an insulatingmaterial which overlays the conductive substrate portion and thenonconductive end portion, the top surface layer having a first andsecond aperture formed in the insulating layer to expose a respectivepair of portions of the nonconductive end portion of the slider belowthe top surface layer, the first and second apertures each defining aclosed loop edge surface of the insulating layer; a transducer disposedin the slider adjacent the air bearing surface within the nonconductiveend portion of the slider and having a first and second connecting linkextending within the slider so that an end of the first and second linksis exposed, respectively, within the first and second apertures of thetop surface layer; a first conductive bond pad extending on the topsurface of the slider on a first side of the first aperture, extendingwithin the first aperture of the top surface layer, and extending on thetop surface of the slider on a second side of the first apertureopposite the first side, the first bond pad being in contact with theclosed loop edge surface of the first aperture and being electricallyconnected to the end of the first link of the transducer within thefirst aperture of the top surface layer; and a second conductive bondpad extending on the top surface of the slider on a first side of thesecond aperture, extending within the second aperture of the top surfacelayer, and extending on the top surface of the slider on a second sideof the first aperture opposite the first side, the second bond pad beingin contact with the closed loop edge surface of the second aperture andbeing electrically connected with the end of the second link of thetransducer with the second aperture of the top surface layer.